NEWPATH TENRIKYO - BRIEFLY PONDERING RECOLLECTIONS OF THE TEACHING

          From "Lectures on the Doctrine of Tenrikyo" by Shozen Nakayama the 2nd Shinbashira of Tenrikyo

The teaching of the way to awaken "Kami-Ichijo" (one with the original mind of the parent) is very comprehensive and sometimes very important elements of the Model Path are overlooked. The quotation below addresses one of those oversights.

"Oyasama taught people in various ways, picking materials that suited the situation at hand. Such also was the way She wrote the teachings."

These days we refer to this as working and teaching in ways that are appropriate for the time, place and level of spiritual maturity of both ourselves and of the people that we would like to quickly and easily  guide to wakening single-hearted salvation, "Kami-Ichijo". Pondering Oyasama's method of teaching brings to mind a quatrain of poems from the Ofudesaki III 45-47.

Taking Oyasama's method of teaching as a model then presents opportunities for our own single-hearted  awakening and demonstrates the method of opening new paths of single-hearted salvation. In so doing, instrumentally helping in the completion of the work and service of reconstructing the human mind to be in accord with the original intention of its creation.

And, perhaps to our astonishment, clearly demonstrating to us that this universe is indeed the single body of a single consciousness and intent. Ofudesaki III:135  Our idea of being separate from the rest of the universe is just that, an idea. When all thoughts, in any human mind, are settled, that truth, the truth of our origin, the true origin of our mind is revealed. Because we are quick to think, that settling can be fleeting and difficult to hold on to, which is why the work or performance of service is taught and its completion hastened.